Opinion: From Dilli to Dili – India’s ‘Acting East’ in East Timor

Upon receiving the prestigious Grand Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste from her counterpart Jose Ramos-Horta on August 10, President Draupadi Murmu marked a significant milestone in India’s foreign policy. Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, may not be vast in size, but it represents a long-awaited breakthrough for India’s “Act East Policy,” a term upgraded by Narendra Modi from the previous “Look East Policy” when he first assumed office as Prime Minister in 2014. In a period where strategic alliances like Quad, Aukus, Squad, and others are forming to safeguard the region from the expanding influence of the dragon, or Loong, as per the latest English moniker given by the Communist Party of China to the mythical creature, this small yet oil-rich nation, with a name that is both redundant and pleonastic, will soon host an Indian embassy.

Double Title, Strategic Position

The name “Timor” originates from the Malay word “timur,” signifying east, while “Leste” in Portuguese also means east. Hence, both “East Timor” and “Timor Leste” translate to “East East” in English. This former Portuguese colony, later occupied by Indonesia, is arguably one of the most inconspicuous countries in Asia and globally. Despite its strategic location in the heart of the Indo-Pacific, a region that has become a focal point in international relations and global affairs discussions, Timor-Leste rarely features in contemporary international academic discourse.

Founding Figures Of Emerging Democracy

The unitary semi-presidential republic is led by Jose Ramos-Horta, a co-recipient of the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize, and Xanana Gusmao, a former soccer goalkeeper turned guerrilla leader whose name is reminiscent of the American rock and roll group Sha Na Na from the 1970s. It has ranked as the freest country in Asia in the annual Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) Press Freedom Index in recent years. Timor-Leste holds the 20th position globally in the RSF index, while its versatile Prime Minister Gusmao had brief experiences in journalism, including publishing his poems in a local newspaper and co-authoring the first Lonely Planet travel guide on the country a couple of decades ago. Nevertheless, this young democracy only garners international media attention when incidents like crocodile attacks on pristine beaches occur, as lamented by a human rights activist I met during a recent visit to the capital, Dili.

X-Factor In India-Timor-Leste Relations

Regarding social media, Timorese President Horta’s X (formerly Twitter) handle reflects his country’s positive sentiments and friendly attitude towards India. The 74-year-old president, slightly older than the Indian Prime Minister, has used X only four times this year – two reposts and two original posts. His reposts coincided with this year’s Vibrant Gujarat summit in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on January 9. Horta first reposted Modi’s message about their meeting and Mahatma Gandhi’s influence on the Timorese independence leader. His second repost highlighted his meeting with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, shared by the official Vibrant Gujarat X handle. Notably, Horta’s initial post on X this year congratulated Modi on his “reelection for a third consecutive term” on June 6, with his most recent post on August 12 showcasing the promotional poster of Radio and Television of East Timor (RTTL) regarding his interaction with President Murmu.

Long-Distance Affection Between Democracies

The diplomatic engagement between Delhi and Dili has taken a convoluted path over the past few decades since India became one of the earliest nations to acknowledge Timor-Leste’s independence in 2002. At that time, Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee, Omar Abdullah, attended the event. However, there have been scarce high-level visits to this strategically significant country, which has emerged as one of India’s staunchest democratic allies, until President Murmu’s recent visit as part of her Asia-Pacific tour. A country that supported India’s quest for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2003 remained under the South Bloc’s diplomatic administration through the Indian embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, for nearly two decades. Following Abdullah’s visit, only two ministerial delegations were sent to Dili before President Murmu’s recent trip. Krishan Pal Gurjar, then MoS for Social Justice and Empowerment, visited the island nation in 2018, while Raj Kumar Ranjan Singh, then MoS for External Affairs, arrived in Dili in October last year, subsequent to PM Modi’s announcement of opening an embassy in Timor-Leste during the 20th ASEAN-India Summit in Jakarta on September 7 last year.

Delhi’s Distant Destination Dili

Moreover, only two prominent Indians have visited the country. Congress MP and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor journeyed to Timor-Leste in 2011 after being invited by President Horta as a personal friend of Timor-Leste’s founding leader. Another Nobel Peace laureate, Kailash Satyarthi, was invited during Horta’s presidential inauguration in 2022 and made the trip after enduring “five separate flights over two days to arrive on time,” as narrated by Qatari media Al Jazeera. The limited air connectivity of this Southeast Asian country with the rest of the world has been a barrier to diplomatic engagements and people-to-people interactions. Only three foreign cities – Singapore, Denpasar in Bali, Indonesia, and Darwin in northern Australia – have direct flight connections to Timor-Leste’s sole international airport in Dili, hindering both bilateral relations and people-to-people ties.

Advancing Public Diplomacy

For a considerable period, bureaucratic hurdles further impeded progress. Timorese citizens seeking Indian visas, as well as the approximately 100 Indian expatriates in Timor-Leste, were compelled to change flights and incur additional expenses on airfare to fulfill their consular needs at the Indian embassy in Jakarta, despite the consulate in Bali being able to offer the same services, thereby reducing travel distance and flights. This situation underscored bureaucratic misjudgments, apathy, and a lack of outreach or public diplomacy initiatives. During the brutal civil conflict in 2006, the then Indian government allegedly neglected the small Indian community in Timor-Leste, as recounted by long-term Indian expatriates I met in Dili. Unlike the current government’s prompt rescue and evacuation efforts in various crises, Timor-Leste received minimal attention under the outdated “Look East Policy.” However, the recent government’s emphasis on stronger public diplomacy since Modi’s tenure and the tenure of Sushma Swaraj at the helm of the Ministry of External Affairs from 2014, followed by Dr. S Jaishankar, is expected to enhance diplomatic ties and foster people-to-people connections with the establishment of the embassy in Dili. Notably, the small Indian expatriate community recently constructed a Lord Ganesha temple, and many members actively participate in a cricket league held at the country’s sole cricket ground near the Peace Memorial inside Tasitolu Peace Park.

Countering Chinese Influence

Therefore, India’s decision to establish a new embassy carries geopolitical and strategic weight. With China expanding its presence in Timor-Leste through substantial investments in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and ports under President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), India must play a proactive role to maintain regional power equilibrium. Following Australia’s fallout in 2004 due to a spying scandal and subsequent maritime boundary dispute, India’s increased presence alongside Japan aims to counterbalance China’s growing influence. However, to achieve this, India must significantly enhance its bilateral trade and investment partnership. Despite granting duty-free access under the Duty-Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) scheme for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), India’s trade and economic engagement with Timor-Leste, including the modest export volume of $43.26 million in 2023 (as per the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade), pales in comparison to Beijing’s investments, which encompass major infrastructure projects like the construction of the presidential palace and Ministry of Foreign Affairs building.

A Promising Start For Bilateral Relations

Nonetheless, this initiative signifies a fresh beginning. The forthcoming embassy will be temporarily situated in Dili’s city center at the most prominent mall, the country’s sole such establishment, amidst a history marred by wars, conflicts, and civil strife. From personal encounters, despite lying dormant for over a decade, India’s Bollywood cultural influence remains dominant in Timor-Leste. Throughout my three-day visit to this small nation, every Timorese individual addressed me as “Rahul,” reflecting the enduring popularity of Karan Johar’s iconic movie “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,” with the title song being a familiar tune sung by all, learned from watching the film on Indonesian TV channels during their struggle for independence and its aftermath. According to an activist, “The movie and the song came to symbolize a new definition of love during challenging times in our predominantly Christian nation.”

(Suvam Pal is a Taipei-based broadcast journalist with TaiwanPlus news channel)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the author’s own.